Hockey storms onto the scene

YESTERDAY saw a new sport storm onto the Primary School scene as Hockey Coffs Coast’s new development officer Reece Edwards took students at Sawtell Primary through some of the basics involved in the sport that he has loved all of his life.

Edwards has taken on the new part-time role to try to raise interest levels in hockey and subsequently turn that interest into increased player numbers.

“In Coffs Harbour the numbers have been on a decline in the past few years so we’re trying to increase it up again,” Edwards said.

He was quick to point out that when it comes to hockey there are few countries who do it better than Australia, in both men’s and women’s competitions.

“It is an Olympic sport and our country is pretty good at it,” he said.

Edwards is obviously passionate about his hockey and he believes students can gain a lot by having him come out and run them through some clinics at their school.

“Obviously there’s their physical health but it’s also about how fast the game is, their hand/eye co-ordination,” he explained.

“It’s about developing life skills as well.

“In other sports it can be more just your foot but hockey is hand/eye plus the running and it is quick so it’s pretty beneficial.”